Palantir shares rise 5% premarket as AI-fueled demand powers annual guidance raise
On Monday, Goldman Sachs analyst increased the price target for ZTE Corp (HK:0763) (763:HK) (OTC: ZTCOF (OTC:ZTCOF)), a major player in the telecommunications industry, from HK$22.00 to HK$25.20, while maintaining a Neutral rating on the company's shares. The revision reflects expectations for the company's performance in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Chang predicts that ZTE's fourth-quarter revenues will remain steady year-over-year at RMB 35 billion, marking a 27% rise from the previous quarter. Despite a downturn in domestic telecom network spending, ZTE has seen robust growth in international markets, with revenues expanding by double digits year-over-year for the first nine months of 2024.
The company's enterprise Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and consumer electronics divisions are highlighted as key growth drivers. These segments are expected to contribute 17% and 25% to ZTE's total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 13% and 25% in the same quarter of the previous year.
While ZTE's gross margin for the fourth quarter is projected to decrease slightly quarter-over-quarter to 38.6% from 40.4%, due to a higher share of non-telecom business, net income is anticipated to surge by 52% year-over-year to RMB 2.3 billion. The Goldman Sachs analyst notes positive prospects for ZTE's growth in the enterprise and consumer electronics sectors, driven by increasing demand for AI infrastructure and devices.
However, the Neutral stance on the stock reflects the broader context of China's telecom capital expenditures, which are slowing down as the country moves into the mid-to-late stages of the 5G investment cycle. This dynamic is seen as a potential headwind for ZTE's telecom-related business moving forward.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.